Weft-detecting mechanism



Nov. 1, 1927. I J 1,647,718

I W. H. WAKEFIELD WEFT DETECTING MECHANISM FiledDec. 20, 1924 2'Sheets-Sheec 1 INvsn-roz NILTEI? ,q. HIKE/WELD.

Nov. 1; 1927.

w. H. WAKEFIELD WEFT DETECTING MECHANISM Filed Dec. 20, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet. 2

Patent-ed Nov. 1, 1927.

UNlTEl STATES mans PATENT o Fica.

HALTER Pi. WAKEFIELD, CF \VGRCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO CROMPTON & KNOVJLES LOGMC WORKS, F i-VCRCEETEE, LEASSACHUSETTS, A CORPOREATION OF IVIASSAOHUSETTS.

Application filed December 20, 1924.

This invention relates to automatic looms in which more than one shuttle is used and relates more particularly to mechanism for detecting the substantial exhaustion of weft or filling in the active shuttle.

In the weaving certain fabrics, it often happens that two shuttles will contain weft of very different characteristics. For instance. one shuttle may carry cotton weft for the body of the fabric and another shuttle may carry a line silk weft for producing a stripe or cross i'JOlT lfi. in the fabric. It has been found that a weft detector which is set to operate with one l i dof weft will generally not operate successfully with another and radically different kind of wef", particularly when the change is made from cotton or wool to silk.

It is the general object of my invention to provide a weft detecting mechanism which may be re dily adapted for use with different kinds of weft, and furthermore to provide means by which the detecting mechanism will be automatically kept in correct adjustment for the weft in the particular shuttle which is active at any given time.

In the preferred form of my invention, the detecting mechanism is so connected and correlated to the drop box or shuttlechange mechanism. that changes in the running shuttle will be accompanied by corresponding changes in the setting of the detecting mechanism.

l have shown my invention as applied to a detector of the type in which relatively fixed relatively movable detecting members are mounted upon a detector slide and l accomplish the principal object of my invention by automatically changing the ad- "usted position of the relatively fixed detecting member on the detector slide.

My invention further relates to arrange ments and combinations of parts which will .be hereinafter described and more particdetectin mechanism t3 7 VEST-DETECTING MECHANISM.

Serial No. 757,237.

Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view, taken along the line 4l in Fig. 3; I

Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of the detecting mechanism, looking in the direction of the arrow 5 in 3;

Fig. 6 is an. enlarged detail plan view of the adjusting devices;

7 is a sectional front elevation, taken along the line 77 in Fig. 6; and

Fig. 8 is a detail view to be described.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, I have shown certain parts of a drop-box weft-replenishing loom including a loon'i frame 10,- a set of shifting boxes 11 and a weft replenishing magazine 12. The drop boxes 11 are mounted on a lifter rod 13 which is vertically slidable in a lay end 14 which is oscillated with a lay 15 on the usual swords or supports 16.

These drop boxes may be moved in any usual manner, as by a spring 18 acting to raise the boxes 11 and a chain or other flexible connection 19 which may be actuated to pull the boxes downward against the pressure of the'spring 18. The chain 19 is connected to any usual and suitable pattern-controlled mechanism by which the desired shuttle will be rendered active at the proper time. The actuating mechanism for the drop boxes forms no part of my present invention and is not shown herein.

The magazine 12 comprises a series of vertical.v compartments adapted to contain weft carriers having weft thereon of difi erent materials or having different characteristics. A shaft 20 is mounted to slide forward and rearward at one end of the magazine 12 and this shaft is moved longitudinally to con trol the release of bobbins from selected compartments in the magazine. 20 is connected for actuation in accordance with the movements of the drop boxes 11, so that a definite lon itudinal position of the shaft 20 will correspond to a definite vertical position of the drop boxes 11.

In the drawings, I have shown the shaft 20 as provided with a grooved collar 21 into which projects the upwardly extending arm 22 of a bell crank having a horizontal arm 23 connected by achain or other flexible member2l to a lever 25 pivoted at 26 on the loom frame 10. The lever 25 is connected by a link 27 to the chain 19 which controls the position of the drop boxes.

The shaft The lever acts to reduce the motion of he chain 24: relatively to that of the chain 19, so that the shaft 20 is shifted longitudinally simultaneously with the vertical movcments of the drop boxes but with a reduced movement. A spring 28 acts to move the shaft 20 in the forward direction. All of the magazine parts and connections are of the usual form and in themselves constitute no part of my present invention. o In Figs. 3 to 8, I have illustrated in detail a form of weft detecting mechanism with my improvements applied thereto. The detecting mechanism comprises a stand 30 which is mounted for angular and verti a adjustment upon a stud 31 carried by a bracket 32 fixed to the loom frame 10.

A slide 33 is mounted in guideways in the stand 30 and is provided at its rearward end with a relatively fixed detecting member 3% and a relatively movable detecting member 35. The member 35 is pivoted at 36 in the slide 33 and is provided with a shoulder 37 which engages an adjusting screw 38 mounted in the rear end of the stand 30. The shoulder 27 and screw 38 thus limit and determine the rearward movement of the slide 33 under the influence of a spring 39 (Fig.

At its rearward end, the detecting member 35 is provided with a toothed surface and laterally offset to engage the side of the detecting member 34. A forwardly projecting portion 40 of the member engages the rearward end of a bent lever 4+1, a portion of which extends longitudinally within the slide 33 and is pivoted thereto at 4&2 (Fig. 7

A. spring 44: (Fig. 4) acts to force the lever 41 yieldingly against the portion 4-0 of the movable detector 35, tending to swing the same away from the detector 3%. hen, however, the shoulder 37 engages the screw 38, the pressure of the spring a l is overcome by the spring 39 and the parts are moved to the position shown in Fig. l.

The offset end 45 of the bent lever 4-1 is connected to a sliding plunger at) which is normally withdrawn from a slot 41-7 but which may be moved rearwardly across the slot 4&7 to indicate substantial weft exhaustion. This method of indication is old and in general forms no part of my present invention which relates more specifically to devices for adjusting the detecting member 84 on the slide 33.

Instead of firmly securing the member 34: to the slide 33, as is customary in this type of detecting mechanism, I have formed the member 34: as an elongated square rod mounted for longitudinal movement in the slide 33. At its forward end the member 3a is provided with a stud (Figs. 6 and 7) which projects upward into a cam slot 51 formed in a cam plate 52 which is pivoted at 53 to a plate 54. At its outer end, the plate 54 is provided with a depending rib or projection 55 fitting a recess 56 in a member 57.

The member 57 is mounted to slide freely upon studs 58 projecting laterally from the stand 30, and has an upward projection (30 connected by an adjustable link 61 to the lower end of a lever 62 pivoted at 63 on the frame of the magazine 12. The upper end of the lever 62 is forked, as indicated at 65, and engages a series of eccentric or camlike collars 66 secured in adjusted angular position on the sliding shaft 20 previously described.

The collars 66 are provided with bevelled edges, as indicated in Fig. 8, and are preferably formed with two bearing surfaces 69 and 70, these surfaces being concentric but at different distances from the axis. By arranging tne collars 66 in reverse positions, it will be evident that the lever 62 will be rocked about its pivot 63 as the shaft 20 is moved longitudinally with the shifting shuttle boxes.

Such movement of the lever 62 causes the member 57 to slide on'the studs 58 and thus moves the cam plate 52 transversely of the stud 50 on the detecting member 34. Such moven'ient of the cam plate causes an adjustment of the member 3% relatively to the member 35, so that the detecting rear end of the member 34- will project more or less beyond the toothed surface of the member The amount of relative motion thus obtained may be varied by means of adjusting screws 72 (Fig. 6) which engage opposite sides of a lug or projection 73 on the free end of the cam plate 52. By means of the screws 72, the angular position of the cam slot 51 may be varied to increase or decrease the relative movement produced on the member 34.

Having thus described the details of construction of my invention, the method of operation will be readily apparent. Assuming that the detecting members anti 35 are correctly positioned for weft havii g certain characteristics, the point of the member 3;: vill ent r the weft, permitting the teeth on the member 35 to also engage the weft so long as a sufiicient supply of weft is present and thus preventing swinging movement of the member 'When the weft is substantially exhausted the member engages the barrel of the bobbin and the member 35 swings freely to indicate weft replenishment.

hen the shuttles are shifted to present a new shuttle and a bobbin having a weft of different characteristics, the cam plate 52 will also be shifted lengthwise, chang'ng the relative projection of the member beyond the member 35 to correspond with the characteristics of the weft in the new shuttle.

The weft detecting mechanism is thus all times satisfactorily adjusted to correspond to the weft in the running shut-tle. I t will be understood thatthe collars 66 may be rearranged to correspond to any arrangement of shuttles in the drop boxes.

The plate 5a. is mounted to slide in a holder or keeper 75 on the slide 33 and the tongue and groove connection of the plate to the member 57 permitsthe plate 54 to move forwardand rearward with the slide 88, while at the same time maintaining its connection with the member 57 and the lever 62.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I do claim is 1. In a loom, a plurality of shuttle boxes having shuttles carrying weft of different characteristics, a single weft detecting mechanism having provision for change of setting to variably adapt said mechanism to cooperate effectively with whatever shuttle box and shuttle is in running position, and means to automatically change the setting of said detecting mechanism as the shuttle boxes change, to correspond with the character of the weft carried by the running shuttle.

2. In a loom, a plurality of shuttle boxes containing a shuttle carrying weft having certain characteristics and a second shuttle carrying weft having different characteristics, a single weft detecting mechanism having provision for adjustment to variably adapt said mechanism to cooperate effectively with whatever shuttle is in running position, means to shift said shuttle boxes, and means to simultaneously adjust the weft detecting mechanism as the shuttle boxes change to adapt said mechanism to the characteristics of the weft in the running shuttle.

3. In a loom, a plurality of shifting shuttle boxes, a single weft detecting mechanism having provision for change of setting to variably adapt said mechanism to co-op-erate effectively with whatever shuttle is in running position, and automatic means to change the setting of said detecting mechanism as the boxes change and in accordance with the position of the shuttle boxes.

l. In a loom, a plurality of shifting shuttle boxes, a single weft detecting mechanism having a pair of associated detecting members having provision for relative adjustment to variably adapt said detectors to cooperate elfectively with the running shuttle, and automatic means to effect such relative adjustment of said detecting members as the boxes change, thereby adapting said detecting mechanism to the characteristics of the weft in the running shuttle.

5. In adrop box loom, a plurality of shifting shuttle boxes having shuttles definitely asociated therewith and carrying weft of different characteristics, a single weft detecting mechanism'comprising two associated detecting members co-operating with the weft in the running shuttle, and automatically actuated means to vary the normal position of one ofsa-id detecting members relatively to the other detecting memher in accordance with the drop box changes toadapt said detecting mechanism to the characteristics of the wveft in the running shuttle.

6. In a loom, a plurality of shifting shuttle boxes and associated shuttles, a single weft detecting mechanism co-operating with the running shuttle and comprising a movable support, a detecting member normally fixed on said support, a second detecting member movablyimounted on said support, and automatic means to change the relative position of said first mentioned detecting memher on said supportto correspond to the shifting of the shuttle boxes and the changes in the characteristics of the weft in the run ning shuttle.

7. In a loom, a magazine, a member mounted thereon and movable to select a bobbin for release, a weft detecting mechanism comprising a pair of detectors, and connections between said member and said mechanism through which said member is effective to control the relative adjustment of said detectors.

8. In a loom, a plurality of drop boxes, a magazine having a plurality of compartments, a weft detector comprising a pair of co-operating detecting elements, a device movable with said drop boxes to indicate the compartment from.which a bobbin is to be released, and a connection from said movable device to said detector through which the relative position of said detecting elements will be adjusted in accordance with the movements of said drop boxes.

9. In a loom, a weft detecting mechanism '1 comprising a slide, a detector normally fixed on said slide, a detector movably mounted on said slide, a cam plate on said slide and controlling the position of said normally fixed detector, and automatic means to move said cam plate to adjust said normally fixed detector. I

10. In a drop box loom, a magazine, a shaft slidable on said magazine to select a Weft carrier for release, a plurality of cam elements mounted on said shaft, said elem'ents being adjustable to correspond with shuttle box changes, a weft detecting mechanism having provision for adjustment to change the sensitiveness of said mechanism, and automatic means for adjusting the sensitiveness of said mechanism, said means including a lever actuated by said cam ele ments as said shaft is moved axially.

11'. In a loom, a plurality of shuttle boxes containing shuttles each of which may ,be come active, a single Weft detector having provision for adjustment to change the sensitiveness of said detector and thereby variably adapting said detector to. cooperate effectively with each shuttle when active, means acting in timed relation with the changes of the shuttle boxes effective to cause said detector to assume varying degrees of sensitiveness throughout a given range of sensitiveness, and means to vary the range of sensitiveness.

12. In a loom, a plurality of shuttle boxes containing shuttles each of which may become active, a Weft detector having provision for adjustment to effect diiierent degrees of sensitiveness depending upon which shuttle box and shuttle is active, andccon trolling mechanism, for adjusting the detector, said mechanism being moved in timed relation with the shuttle boxes, and including reversible motion-transmitting elements having relatively high and low surfaces, the surfaces of each element being interchanged when the element is reversed.

13. In a loom, drop boxes, a detector having provisionffor adjustment to effect difi'erent degrees of sensitiveness, and connections between the boxes and. the detector to vary the degree of sensitiveness of said detector, said connections including elements having relatively high and low points, said elements being reversible to interchange the position of the high and low points.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature.

WALTER H. WAKEFIELD. 

